Erin Andrews Peeper Wants Probation

MARCH 11--The man convicted of surreptitiously taking naked peephole videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews has asked a judge to spare him a prison term. In a sentencing submission, Michael Barrett, 48, contends that a probation sentence would be appropriate, arguing that he has already suffered public humiliation and lost his insurance sales job as a result of the federal criminal case.

While Barrett's March 8 U.S. District Court sentencing memo was sealed Monday, Los Angeles federal prosecutors--who want Barrett to serve 27 months in prison--today filed an opposition to his probation request. That document, a copy of which you'll find here, details many of the points addressed in Barrett's sealed filing

According to government lawyers, Barrett describes himself as a 'voyeur' whose actions were less severe than those of a typical stalker. Countering Barrett's arguments about these 'secret acts of voyeurism,' prosecutors noted that he 'did not simply satisfy his personal sexual needs by taking nude videos,' but put the clips on the Internet, with the 31-year-old Andrews's name attached. Barrett has admitted filming Andrews through altered hotel room peepholes.

While branding a possible probationary term as 'unreasonable and unconscionable,' prosecutors did note that Barrett has showed signs of remorse, revealing that the felon will be 'assigning the copyrights on the videos' to Andrews so 'she can somewhat curb future publication.' Presumably, with copyrights in hand, Andrews can file federal civil lawsuits against web sites like erinandrewsnudetape.com, which charges for access to the videos. Barrett, who pleaded guilty to felony stalking, is scheduled to be sentenced Monday by federal Judge Manuel Real. (10 pages)